REVIEW: Dressmaker a wildly wicked good time

When it comes to films like The Dressmaker — a truly inspiring balancing act between dark situational comedy and intense drama — tone will make or break the movie.

This Australian delight is an uproarious, intense piece of filmmaking that was greeted with one of the most enthusiastic rounds of applause when the credits rolled, and for good reason.

It was magnificent, through and through. From costumes and editing to the impeccable central performances, The Dressmaker has the power to take even the potentially mundane narrative sequences and spin them into comedic gold.

A femme fatale (Kate Winslet) comes back to her small town in the 1950s, ready to seek revenge on the townsfolk who sent her away as a child. As she gains their confidence and constructs beautiful dresses for them, she unravels the secrets from her past bit by bit.

The unique nature of this movie is the exact reason why it deserves to be seen —if only once — so people can witness and revel in the madcap, subversive context of the film.

It’s evident from the loose, free-flowing demeanour of the film and its biting dialogue that Jocelyn Moorhouse’s first directorial effort since 1997 was well worth the wait. The How To Make An American Quilt director has put together a well-blended film that gets the most out of the entire cast.

Winslet is the very best she has been since 2010’s Revolutionary Road as Mytyle Dunnage, and she is destined for an Oscar nomination. This is quite possibly one of her best performances ever.

Double Oscar nominee Judy Davis is back with a vengeance as Dunnage’s conniving, crazy mother, Mad Molly. She’ll definitely be a contender in the supporting actress category this year.

But the real winner here is Hugo Weaving. He’s funny, charming and unabashedly fearless in his portrayal of a gay policeman in a quaint, oppressive town, and he’s the best he has ever been. You will surely forget this is the man behind Agent Smith in the Matrix trilogy, and he manages to completely reinvent himself in this role.

The Dressmaker won numerous awards in Australia and the actors have been lauded with praise. The only one not being mentioned is Liam Hemsworth — brother to Chris, who plays Thor in the Avengers series — who displays great talent and proves he’s more than a pretty face here.

The Dressmaker’s quirky atmosphere and tonal shifts won’t be for everyone, but the performances are of the highest class, and when the film strikes gold, it’s a delight to watch these thespians work.